Royals win, 9-6, to force a fifth game with Astros

The Astros’ George Springer tosses his helmet after striking out to end the eighth inning. Kansas City went on to win and push the series to a decisive fifth game. The Associated Press

HOUSTON — Astros shortstop Carlos Correa couldn’t handle a deflected grounder that might have been a double-play ball, helping the Kansas City Royals rally for five runs in the eighth inning to beat Houston 9-6 Monday and force their playoff series to a decisive Game 5.

Correa homered twice, doubled, singled and drove in four runs in Game 4 of the AL Division Series. Houston took a 6-2 lead into the eighth, but a tough error charged to the 21-year-old rookie keyed the Royals’ comeback to even the matchup at two games apiece.

Kansas City’s Ben Zobrist (18) celebrates with teammate Mike Moustakas after he and Lorenzo Cain (6) scored during a five-run rally in the eighth inning of Monday’s American League Division Series game in Houston. The Associated Press

Game 5

WHO: Houston Astros (McHugh) at Kansas City Royals (Cueto)

WHEN: 8:07 p.m. Wednesday

TV: FS1

SERIES: Tied, 2-2

Game 5 will be played back in Kansas City on Wednesday night.

Late in the game, a tweet from the account of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott congratulated the Astros on advancing to the AL Championship Series.

But the defending AL champion Royals had other ideas.

Kansas City opened the eighth with five straight singles off relievers Will Harris and Tony Sipp, with RBI hits by Lorenzo Cain and Eric Hosmer making it 6-4 and leaving the bases with no outs.

Kendrys Morales followed with a hard, one-bouncer off Sipp’s glove. The ball took two more hops and glanced off the top of Correa’s mitt, rolling into center field as two runs scored to tie it at 6.

Alex Gordon’s RBI groundout off Luke Gregerson later in the inning put Kansas City ahead.

Hosmer launched a long, two-run homer in the ninth for insurance.

Ryan Madson (1-0) allowed two runs in the seventh and still got the win. Wade Davis pitched two scoreless innings for his second save.

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